


The Wonders of the Costume Ball

by AlertsDontExist



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types
Genre: Dancing, F/F, Fancy parties that I didn't do much research for because I'm intimidated and don't want to, He's not here very long though, I set him up and did nothing with him I had plans and they got lost, M/M, Mason Verger is His Own Warning, Masquerade, The other couples are background, this is so rushed I'm sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-24 08:08:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30069237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlertsDontExist/pseuds/AlertsDontExist
Summary: Alana is a frequent visitor to beautiful parties. She meets someone at one such event, and they plan to see each other again.
Relationships: Alana Bloom/Margot Verger, Bella Crawford/Jack Crawford, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Kudos: 17
Collections: Hannibal Flashfic #009





	The Wonders of the Costume Ball

Alana smiles as she takes the offered hand to help her out of the carriage. She always feels a bit out of place at these parties, not quite as plentifully blessed with riches as her hosts, but they continue to invite her so there must be something she’s doing right. Frederick never looks away, shifting her hand up his arm to properly escort her inside. They’re announced at the door and gently pushed forward to make room for the next couple behind them on the stairs. The ballroom is as lavishly decorated as always, glittering splendor everywhere and little touches of flair that hinted at their host’s memories of home carried into this life. 

The dance floor is ignored for the moment, and Alana finds herself led over to the food table near the entrance quite immediately, quick to retract her hand as Frederick dives in towards the cheeses. She rolls her eyes and turns back to survey the rest of the room. It’s always so hard to find a good date for these things. Alana doesn’t consider herself a dating woman; though even if she did, there was never anyone she would consider. Most of her friends were already married and present here with their partners and the rest would find that were she a crueler person she would have done worse than simply turn her nose up at them for their faults. Frederick was one of the ones she could pretend to tolerate for a few hours simply because he was sated with a few words stroking his ego and left to discuss whatever faux-intelligent nonsense he deemed fantastic with the rest of the guests who were somehow taken by his disinterestedly charmed sort of flair. 

Tonight he seems less interested in talking, which suits Alana just fine. She recognizes some faces in the crowd, many of which she will likely hold a conversation with at some point tonight because she is fond of their company, but mostly because it offers some respite from her gossipy date. Their hosts have yet to make an appearance, but they will be coming soon, especially given the one’s fussiness over manners and proper etiquette. The room is not yet full, but beginning to buzz with the steady arrival of more guests. The band plays softly, saving their strength for later when it will be needed, and waiters are already prepared with serving trays of tall champagne glasses with bubbles chasing each other to the top as much as the minuscule drops of condensation chase each other down the sides. 

“It’s always so nice to be invited out to these places, really gives one insight into the great minds of the higher society,” Frederick mentions as he pops another piece of cheese more expensive than his entire suit in his mouth. “They claim to be above the rest of us, but they wouldn’t have gone through all this trouble if it wasn’t to impress us. They’re just as low as the rest of us, people are just so blinded by the glitter they don’t care.”

“So it’s the desire to be seen as impressive that they go through all the planning and setup and entertainment of their guests when they could just as easily do nothing at all and be admired from afar? Seems like one would be much less work than the other.” Alana humors him, this won’t last long. 

“Exactly,” he glances up at her for a moment, “but their constant need for attention and instant gratification demands they do everything possible to get adoration regardless of how much work is involved. Quite desperate, really.”

They go back and forth for a while, Alana mostly half-hearted while Frederick is absolutely serious, and have made their way into discussing how the need for human interaction came from group dynamics which have evolved over time to become society as a whole, or at least one’s city, that everyone craves gratification from when the announcer’s voice comes from a different part of the room. Previously, they had only been at the front doors, announcing new guests and their escorts, but now they stand at the base of the grand stairwell, announcing in time as the doors at the top open to reveal their hosts. The entire crowd stops and turns for a moment, respectfully allowing their hosts to enter and be noticed. 

The pair are quite a sight. One man is dressed in warm, rich reds that toughen and beef up his shape, hair styled and pushed back, though a few stray strands still escape. The other man in dazzling blues, slimming and welcoming on him alongside his messy waves and styled facial hair. It was by no means sloppy, and he clearly had tried to keep himself presentable, but even the walk down the stairs slid a few curls out of place. Nonetheless, he walks proudly, content on the arm of his partner who lets him lead as they reach the base of the stairs and make their way into the heart of the room. A quick thanks to the guests and they slip towards the back of the room once more to let the party continue.

“Alana!” They both greet and welcome her warmly, though one is noticeably more friendly with her than the other.

“Will,” she greets him first, then turns. “Hannibal. Thank you, it’s been a while since I last came to one of these. Forgot how much I missed them.” She added with a sideways grin.

“As much as we miss you,” Hannibal replies. “It has been quite long, but I am very much against the habit of forcing things when they are not yet ready.”

Will rolls his eyes with a small smile. A single laugh escapes him. “You’re too picky. And not reserved enough. We could have plenty of these if you wanted, or none at all.” He turns to Alana with mischief, “I’m the one that has to push him to hold one.” They snicker together, delighting in equal measure the betrayed amusement on Hannibal’s face.

“Good evening, boys,” Frederick saunters up will all the confidence of someone who has no idea he is a nuisance. “A lovely ball you’ve got going here, you know, it’s quite difficult to find someone who can do it properly these days. Feels as though all the good ones have been left behind us. Wouldn’t you think?”

Will’s bristle and glance over towards Alana are met with a sheepish grin and apologetic shrug. They knew she wasn’t set with one date, and Will had mentioned her taste seemed to be getting worse, to which she replied that the waters were thinning and leaving less and less fish.

“All the more reason to make something worthwhile and worthy of remembering,” Chilton smirks towards Alana as though Hannibal’s response had just confirmed what they had been discussing for the past half-hour.

“We should be off to greet everyone else,” Will interjects, “wouldn’t want to seem rude and only speak to one pair this whole night.” he whispers the last part loudly to Hannibal, who sliently reprimands him with a fondly exasperated look, but nods and turns back to Alana anyway.

“Will is quite correct, we should be off to meet everyone else before the night is through. Thank you for coming, Alana, it’s always lovely to have you.”

She turns back to Frederick once the pair disappear into the crowd, “We should go say hello too. There are quite a few good people here and I know a lot of them.”

“I think I’ll wait here for now, but you go ahead,” he responds, already eyeing another platter. “You won’t be abandoning me, I’m just greeting people from a different place.”

Alana sets her jaw but leaves him be and starts making her way across the room. Jack and Bella first, then Reba and Francis, and a few others along the way. Alan finds herself greeted each time with a pleasant “how do you do” and a handshake or small bow, to which she responds in kind. This settles the evening into a bit of a routine, broken only by occasionally spotting those she has already greeted, hosts included, passing by, but she tries to speak to as many people as she knows. Alana gets a good way through everyone too when she tries to make her way in between a few small groups and mistakenly nudges someone’s ankle.

“Pardon me, comes the snivelly drawl, “don’t you think it’s a little rude to kick someone and not apologize?” The man’s swept hair twitches as he talks and the constant sneer on his face seems comfortable there, as though it’s the only expression he’s ever held.

“Excuse me,” Alana amends, knowing instantly this will be one of those people. “I didn’t mean to.”

“Fine,” he waves his hand dismissively, “fine. Not like you could be bothered to learn properly for this thing anyway. You would think an invited guest would have more manners than a plus-one, but apparently not the case! Margot, what do you think?” He calls back to the woman behind him, who so far has been watching silently.

“I don’t know, Mason,” she sighs, “she’s made it this far, which means she’s on good terms with the hosts, so maybe it just works.” She turns to the side, muttering something Alana thinks might be “which is more than you can say for us” but isn’t sure.

“I’m escorting my dear sister, you see,” Mason seems pleased with the answer, “haven’t felt quite safe with her out of my sight since our father died, I want to preserve our legacy! It’s such a fickle thing, you know, preserving that which can be so easily broken.” The drawl is already grating on Alana’s nerves, curious given how smooth Margot’s voice seems to be instead.

“Well,” Alana decides, she may as well try, “I promise to take good care of your sister if you would be so kind as to let me borrow her? I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced, and I get the feeling she would be the kind of person most inclined towards the champagne here tonight.”

Margot’s hope is immediate, as is Mason’s skepticism. “Very well, but don’t be too long. We should be leaving soon, anyway. No sense in stirring up trouble when we have plenty of our own to deal with.” He directs this at Margot, ensuring she gets the message.

As soon as he’s out of sight, Margot breaths a heavy sigh and visibly relaxes. “Thank you,” she starts. “You know how to make a good entrance. Not many can land it well like that.”

“My pleasure,” Alana smiles back, “I’m happy we got you away for a bit. I may not be here to analyze, but I could still see a thousand different problems with your brother.” She pauses, then quickly adds, “sorry, that was careless.”

“No, no, you’re right,” Margot laughs, “he knows and still refuses to believe anything’s wrong so I just have to play along until I figure out a way out of it. Soon, I hope.”

“You know we can’t stay out here long, especially since we both have an escort that’s probably waiting on us.” Margot inclines her head in a small nod, “but I would like to find you here next time, if I may. It’s forward, I know, but I hoped we might just be able to find a way.”

Margot smiles, gently, and for the first time, it really feels sincere. “I would like that. I’ll find a way.”

Somewhere behind them, Will finds his way back to Hannibal, thoughtful, to which his husband asks what he’s smiling about.

The invitations come in the mail three weeks later. Another ball, themed this time A masquerade. Alana can hardly believe her luck. She will be unrecognizable, as will Margot. The night is so far away and so close all at once, she spends some extra time planning. She has no idea what Margot is planning but trusts it will work anyway. The night itself arrives, and the drive feels longer than usual. She waits outside for a few minutes, reluctant to leave the cold air, waiting for… something, although she can’t tell exactly what.

Until a voice reaches her ears and a figure steps in front of her. “Waiting for someone?”

At first glance, it would be a young man, dressed in reds and golds like a prince of old, with a twining, stylized mask over his eyes. At second glance, (and first listen to that voice), Margot has cut her hair and dressed up beautifully. In the very same colors Alana wore last time. Glancing down for a moment at her own dress - emerald green with deep brown and gold patterns - Alana realizes she has done the same.

“Yes, actually,” Alana responds with a crooked smile, offering her hand, “it hasn’t been a long wait.”

Margot laughs gently and turns to lead her inside. They draw many eyes as they move among the others, the pair of them proud with even steps and solid hands grasping the other. This party is noticeably smaller, though no less impressive. The golden chandeliers from the ceiling are lit with candles that paint the room in dancing colors, and the champagne from last time has been replaced with wine, letting the room have splashes of red in the hands of its guests, keeping the whole thing from blending together.

Their hosts introduce themselves once more, though keep to themselves this time, claiming they are only here to “let the evening speak for itself” and sending everyone off to continue as they please. The band starts up before long and Alana finds her hand lifted to a pair of lips. Wine glass in one hand, Margot’s hand in the other, Alana feels spurred on by the very feel of the air around her. Laughter and chatter echo in the room and Alana lets a small exclamation escape her lips as she is tugged towards the center of the floor in front of the band. She keeps a hold on her glass, though downs it once she and Margot begin to dance and places it on one of the trays offered by the waiters. 

The pair spend the whole night together, dancing and talking and greeting the other guests. Margot hardly stops smiling, and Alana feels light as a feather. It's a wonderful feeling, and she wants nothing more than to stay here forever. She offers to let Margot stay the night with her, which is accepted, and Margot is positively buzzing by the time they reach Alana's home. Evidently, the woman is a bit of a chatty drunk, especially when she's out from under her brother's heel for the first time in years.

Alana wakes the next morning to find Margot beside her, one arm reaching out and the mask she had worn between them. Alana can't believe her luck as her heart swells with affection. She leans over and places a gentle kiss on her forehead and lays there happily, hoping there's another ball soon.


End file.
